Romanian businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vintu, who  was  sentenced to 6 months in jail for blackmailing business partner Sebastian Ghita, of the Asesoft group, would have received a tougher punishment, if it wasn't  for his disability. According to the Romanian media, the court called that the accusation brought against Sorin Ovidiu Vintu severe but was unable to hand down a longer sentence due to the defendant's poor health and "major locomotive disability". The court noted that the imposed 6-month penalty is below the minimum sentence for the crime and must be served in full. He will have medical assistance during serving his time in jail and will stay in an area fitted for disabled people, according to EU norms. Vantu has had his locomotive disability since childhood.

On February 3, Ion Ilie Cezar, part of Vintu’s entourage, was also sentenced to five months in jail. According to prosecutors, both Vintu and Cezar told Sebastian Ghita to give them EUR 150,000, threatening to kill him and his family.

Both Vintu and Cezar were arrested at the end of April 2011 and released mid-June, after the court argued that his notoriety and the lack of definitive convictions should not take away the right to be free while being investigated. Vintu was then arrested the second time in November, on charges of money laundering in the Petromservice case.

More about Sorin Ovidiu Vintu here.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Agerpres)